New beginnings form basis of work

Birgit Krippner's Iti photos will be shown in San Francisco in April.

Tame Iti has collaborated with an Austrian-born photographer for an exhibition in Wellington.

The Tuhoe member worked with Birgit Krippner on Iti, showing at the {Suite} art studio, which consists of her photographs, and his oils and sculptural works.

Key to the exhibition is an Iti installation work, which is from an occupation site in Te Urewera.

One of the photographs involving Tame Iti and an important time in Tuhoe history that are on show in Wellington.

The Tuhoe meaning of the word iti is humbleness, or in the background.

During his time in prison recently, Iti tweeted: "Painting is a conversation with the canvas. We have been discussing things a lot lately."

The paintings in this exhibition have been created since the artist's release from prison and during an important time in Tuhoe's history. The Tuhoe treaty settlement returned Te Urewera, the spiritual home of the Tuhoe people, to the tribe and marks the transition from grievance to a future promising greater opportunity and self-determination.

Krippner's photographs provide an intimate lens on Iti, the Tuhoe people and Te Urewera, and serve as a document of the promise of new beginnings. Krippner, who has exhibited extensively nationally (Auckland, Wellington) and internationally (New York, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen), will be exhibiting her Iti photographs at the Harvey Milk Photographic Centre in San Francisco in April.

She is also a recipient of the Grand Prix Terroirs d'images, Categorie Professionnel (Professional Category). Iti has recently returned from Chile where he performed at the Santiago Mil International Theatre Festival in the stage show I am Mapuche. The Iti Wellington exhibition opened yesterday and will run until March 7.

-For more information visit www.suite.co.nz